Making predictions on the advertising industry in 2026 is no easy task. However, despite the rapidly changing advertising landscape and turbulent times across the globe, agencies and advertisers still need a plan. And to make a plan you need to have a rough idea on the direction of travel.
Private forecasting is one thing, public declarations are quite another. It’s fair to say you need a certain amount of bravery to make public advertising predictions for 2026… Nevertheless, we’ll give it a go.
We’ve asked our media and creative experts how they see advertising developing in 2026. Read on to discover how we think 2026 will shape up for advertisers.
Trends-wise I think magazines are going to have a real resurgence, specifically fashion magazines among the younger generations. I think as consumers, we’re seeing a real comeback of early 00’s trends, capri pants, the “Pamela Anderson” hair, digital cameras, and so I think magazines will be part of this. Kat – Media Account Manager
This year I think we’ll see the continued shift of advertising spend from linear TV to VOD, streaming platforms and Connected TV. While the majority of big screen viewing is still on linear TV, the continual evolution of tech means that audiences are finding it easier to satisfy their need for ‘instant’ TV – what they want to watch when they want to watch it. And it’s far more trackable so great for advertisers too. Eva – Head of TV
I think there will be more “guilt trip” advertising in 2026 and people will do whatever they can to get an emotive response from consumers, much like a recent campaign from Boots. Basically, there will be no shame in how far people will be willing to go…Ibby – Creative Manager
And of course, our AI related advertising predictions…
The power of storytelling and “people” will be important. As AI becomes more prevalent, consumers are really leaning more into brands with genuine connection and authenticity. I think we’ll see brands really play into their human side in 2026. We’re seeing it already with a lot of TV ads/social ads becoming more “behind the scenes” rather than polished, overly edited content. Kat – Media Account Manager
I think we’ll start to see a pushback on gen AI from really expensive, premium brands. They’ll make it a point of pride, maybe part of the campaign itself, to flag up it’s been “human created”. And there will be one campaign where, despite them saying that, it turns out that they did in fact use gen AI. Sam – Art Director
People will become hungry for good-quality content. Whether that’s news, editorial, AV or even marketing/advertising. In a world that’s becoming saturated by “AI slop”, consumers will actively seek out high-quality communications that have been thoughtfully produced, by humans. We might even start paying for it again…Helen – Senior Communications Manager
Advances in AI and its sheer accessibility mean we’ll see it being used to create more TV ads. Whether or not the viewing audience will show their approval remains to be seen. Eva – Head of TV
Of course, the usual caveats apply. Don’t bet your house on magazine sales going through the roof or ad breaks being wall-to-wall AI commercials. But, what we do know is that an agency that always keeps one eye on the future is in a good place to weather any storm that comes its way. By staying agile and informed we ensure we can adapt to whatever is round the corner. This means our clients are well positioned to stay a step ahead of their competitors.
If you’d like a chat about how we can help your business grow in 2026, get in touch.
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